Clinical trials of photoradiation therapy (PRT) have been carried out in 32 patients with lung cancer, 10 of which are reported here. The aim is the palliative treatment and control of cancer lesions obstructing an airway, whether in the trachea or in a large bronchus leading to a lung or to a lobe of a lung. The objective or patient benefit is the opening up of the lumen of the airway to improve ventilation to relieve shortness of breath, and to prevent the retention of secretions containing bacteria, that cause lung infections. Immediate results (one to several weeks) were uniformly good. Air passageways were opened up as revealed by subsequent bronchoscopy, after clearing away tumor debris. Short-term (several months) observations were limited in number but indicate potentially good results. Future research is directed toward better criteria for patient selection improved patient evaluation that will reveal potential cardiac and pulmonary complications, and the devising of more suitable laser light delivery techniques.
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